White Wine Cream Scallop Casserole with Crisped Prosciutto Top

When I break this dish down to what it is at it’s core, this is basically a scallop casserole.

And if someone suggest to me to make a scallop casserole, I probably would have just ignored them. Something about it just doesn’t sound good to me. Probably because I am VERY particular about the way my scallops are cooked or maybe I jut associate casseroles with mushy dishes made with condensed soup. That sounds a bit snobby, but I have a serious problem with mushy food.

But if we take a look at this dish and break it down by its components, it is pretty much impossible to resist. Let’s think about this logically. White wine cream sauce? Check. Crispy breadcrumb, prosciutto and Parmesan crispy top? Check. Tasty, well cooked scallops? Check.

Check. Check. Check. You’ve got the makings of an epic dish right there.

This was a combination of an old recipe my mother used to make and what I thought would be tasty and this little gem was magnificent.

It’s even a contender for a dish at the holiday gift exchange I’m throwing. Try it and let me know if it should make the cut.

You will need…

1 ½ lb bay scallops, washed, dried and seasoned with salt and pepper

2 cups white wine

4 shallots, finely chopped

4 tablespoons butter plus 2 extra tablespoons for the crispy top

4 ounces crimini mushrooms, stems removed and thinly sliced

¼ cup parsley, freshly chopped

2 tablespoons half and half

3 large slices of good French or sourdough bread, roughly chopped then made into crumbs in the food processor (should make about 2 cups of fresh crumbs)

4 slices prosciutto, roughly chopped

½ cup Parmesan cheese

 Salt and pepper to taste

Start by preheating your broiler.

In a large pan, heat the wine till it is slowly simmering and add in the scallops.

Cook the scallops just until they are opaque. Remove the scallops with a slotted spoon to a casserole dish and set aside.

Pour the wine into a bowl and set aside.

In the same pan, add 4 tablespoons of the butter and melt over medium heat.

Add in the shallots and mushrooms and cook until the shallots have softened. About 5 minutes.

Stir in the parsley, half and half and the reserved wine. Bring the mixture to a slow simmer. Season well with salt and pepper and when the sauce starts to thicken slightly, pour it over the scallops in the casserole dish.

In a medium bowl, toss together the breadcrumbs, prosciutto and Parmesan. Spread the breadcrumb mixture over the top of the scallops in an even layer.

With the remaining butter, spread small dollops over the top of the breadcrumb topping.

Place the casserole under the broiler until the top is crispy and golden brown. About 4 minutes.

Remove from the oven, allow to cool for about 2 minutes and serve hot.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela  

White Wine Cream Scallop Casserole with Crisped Prosciutto Top

1 ½ lb bay scallops, washed, dried and seasoned with salt and pepper

2 cups white wine

4 shallots, finely chopped

4 tablespoons butter plus 2 extra tablespoons for the crispy top

4 ounces crimini mushrooms, stems removed and thinly sliced

¼ cup parsley, freshly chopped

2 tablespoons half and half

3 large slices of good French or sourdough bread, roughly chopped then made into crumbs in the food processor (should make about 2 cups of fresh crumbs)

4 slices prosciutto, roughly chopped

½ cup Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by preheating your broiler.

In a large pan, heat the wine till it is slowly simmering and add in the scallops.

Cook the scallops just until they are opaque. Remove the scallops with a slotted spoon to a casserole dish and set aside.

Pour the wine into a bowl and set aside.

In the same pan, add 4 tablespoons of the butter and melt over medium heat.

Add in the shallots and mushrooms and cook until the shallots have softened. About 5 minutes.

Stir in the parsley, half and half and the reserved wine. Bring the mixture to a slow simmer. Season well with salt and pepper and when the sauce starts to thicken slightly, pour it over the scallops in the casserole dish.

In a medium bowl, toss together the breadcrumbs, prosciutto and Parmesan. Spread the breadcrumb mixture over the top of the scallops in an even layer.

With the remaining butter, spread small dollops over the top of the breadcrumb topping.

Place the casserole under the broiler until the top is crispy and golden brown. About 4 minutes.

Remove from the oven, allow to cool for about 2 minutes and serve hot. 

Roasted Bell Pepper Soup with Seared Scallops

Yes, I know what you are thinking. You took one look at the name of this post and thought, “Good lord this chick makes some weird stuff.”

Am I right or am I right?

And I do make a ton of weird stuff. You should see the recipes that I DON’T post. But I promise you that I post only the stuff I would eat again. Just consider me your personal taste tester of all the weird food combos out there.

Despite the fact that this combo might sound odd, I promise it works. Not only does it work, it is damn tasty.

You will need…

3 large red bell peppers

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

2 garlic cloves, mined

1 medium onion, diced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 quart chicken broth

¼ cup fresh orange juice, plus zest of 1 orange

2 tablespoons cilantro, roughly chopped

8 to 10 sea scallops (depending on the size and how much you want)

Salt and pepper to taste        

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Put the peppers on a baking sheet and roast until the skins are blackened. About 45 minutes.

When the skin has blackened, place the peppers in a bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Allow the peppers to cool until you can handle them.

By the time the peppers have cooled, the skin and stem will easily peel off. Clean the peppers of their skin and seeds and roughly chop.

In a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil.

When the oil is hot, add in the garlic, onion, cumin and crushed red pepper flakes.

Cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally until the onions are softened. About 10 minutes.

Add in the roasted peppers and the chicken broth, increase the heat and bring the soup to a boil.

Once the soup boils, reduce the soup to a simmer.

Add in the orange juice, zest, cilantro and season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 20 minutes.

When the onions and peppers are very tender, blend in batches in your food processor or with an immersion blender.

Set aside.

In a medium skillet, heat the remaining oil and butter over medium high heat.

When the butter has melted and the oil is hot, season the scallops well with salt and pepper and add to the pan.

Cook until the scallops are well browned on both sides and cooked through. About 2 minutes a side.

Place the scallops in a shallow bowl.

Pour the soup over the scallops and serve hot with some crusty bread.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela  

Roasted Bell Pepper Soup with Seared Scallops

4 large red bell peppers

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

2 garlic cloves, mined

1 medium onion, diced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 quart chicken broth

¼ cup fresh orange juice, plus zest of 1 orange

2 tablespoons cilantro, roughly chopped

8 to 10 sea scallops (depending on the size and how much you want)

Salt and pepper to taste        

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Put the peppers on a baking sheet and roast until the skins are blackened. About 45 minutes.

When the skin has blackened, place the peppers in a bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Allow the peppers to cool until you can handle them.

By the time the peppers have cooled, the skin and stem will easily peel off. Clean the peppers of their skin and seeds and roughly chop.

In a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil.

When the oil is hot, add in the garlic, onion, cumin and crushed red pepper flakes.

Cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally until the onions are softened. About 10 minutes.

Add in the roasted peppers and the chicken broth, increase the heat and bring the soup to a boil.

Once the soup boils, reduce the soup to a simmer.

Add in the orange juice, zest, cilantro and season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 20 minutes.

When the onions and peppers are very tender, blend in batches in your food processor or with an immersion blender.

Set aside.

In a medium skillet, heat the remaining oil and butter over medium high heat.

When the butter has melted and the oil is hot, season the scallops well with salt and pepper and add to the pan.

Cook until the scallops are well browned on both sides and cooked through. About 2 minutes a side.

Place the scallops in a shallow bowl.

Pour the soup over the scallops and serve hot with some crusty bread. 

Caramelized Sweet and Tangy Scallops

Do you remember when you were young, and you couldn’t WAIT to learn to ride your bike?

And then, you took those training wheels off, made it to the end of the street and actually made the turn. Remember?

I don’t know about you, but that might have been the most free I’ve ever felt.

Nothing could touch me. I could go fast! And feel the wind in my hair.

Well my friends, I have rediscovered my love of my bike and I highly recommend you do the same.

The last couple days, Wes and I have been going on hour long bike rides since I’m trying to trim down and tone up. I’m finding that towards the end of the ride, a part of me just wants to keep on cruisin.

So, if you are looking to get in shape, or just to escape, get back on the bike and ride!

And when you get home, make yourself something tasty. Like these sweet and tangy scallops.

You will need…

12 large scallops

4 tablespoons butter

½ cup white sugar

½ cup dry white wine

1 lemon zested and juiced

1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

10 chives, finely chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by rinsing and patting cry your scallops. Season both sides of your scallops well with salt and pepper.

Then over medium high heat, add the butter to a large sauté pan and cook it until it begins to foam.

As soon as the butter foams, dip the top of each scallop into the sugar and then place it sugar side down into the pan.

If the sugar begins to burn, reduce the heat slightly.

Cook the scallops for 2 minutes on the sugar side and flip.

Continue to cook the scallops for 1 more minute.

Then, add in the white wine and lemon juice and reduce the liquid by half. About 3 minutes.

Transfer the scallops to a serving dish and top them with the parsley, chives and lemon zest.

Drizzle the sauce over the top and serve hot.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela

Caramelized Sweet and Tangy Scallops

12 large scallops

4 tablespoons butter

½ cup white sugar

½ cup dry white wine

1 lemon zested and juiced

1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

10 chives, finely chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Caramelized Sweet And Tangy Scallops

Start by rinsing and patting cry your scallops. Season both sides of your scallops well with salt and pepper.

Then over medium high heat, add the butter to a large sauté pan and cook it until it begins to foam.

As soon as the butter foams, dip the top of each scallop into the sugar and then place it sugar side down into the pan.

If the sugar begins to burn, reduce the heat slightly.

Cook the scallops for 2 minutes on the sugar side and flip.

Continue to cook the scallops for 1 more minute.

Then, add in the white wine and lemon juice and reduce the liquid by half. About 3 minutes.

Transfer the scallops to a serving dish and top them with the parsley, chives and lemon zest.

Drizzle the sauce over the top and serve hot. 

Pan Seared Scallops with Citrus Vinaigrette

I’m not really a big believer in diets. I am however a big believer in making healthier life decisions on a regular basis.

Taking the stairs instead of the elevator.

Picking the fruit instead of the fries.

Water instead of soda.

Baby steps.

But even I get the diet and healthy living bug at the start of the new year.

I don’t know you, but I feel like I’m in a never ending search for easy, healthy and delicious week night meals.

Well, I am about to make at least one night of your next week a little easier.

I even made mine a little easier since I plan on making this over and over.

You will need…

12 ounces seas scallops, thawed if frozen (Trader Joe’s has some great frozen ones)

2 lemons

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound asparagus spears, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces

1 medium red onion, chopped

3 fresh basil sprigs plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by rinsing the scallops and patting them dry.

Season them will with salt and pepper and set them aside.

With a peeler, peel the outer layer of one of the lemons off.

In a medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat.

When the oil is hot, add the asparagus and onion and cook them for 5 to 6 minutes. Season them with salt and pepper while they are cooking.

Transfer them after they are slightly cooked to a serving platter and keep them warm.

Add the remaining olive oil to the pan and add the lemon peel and basil sprigs.

Cook for about 2 minutes so that the oil can absorb the flavors.

Add the scallops to the pan and cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until they are opaque. Flip them only once.

Stir in the juice from both lemons while they are cooking.

Place the cooked scallops over the asparagus mixture. Pour the juice from the pan over the mixture and garnish with the chopped basil.

Serve hot.

Beware the asparagus pee.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela